Fabrication of Monolithic UAl_2 Pellet For High-Density Nuclear Fuel

摘要

Uranium powder, which can be obtained by the atomization process, was used to fabricate UAl_2 by using powder metallurgy technology. Uranium powder and Al powder were blended, extruded, and annealed into a UAl_2 rod in a mold. Sound UAl_2 rods were fabricated by the powder metallurgical process. The relative density of the UAl_2 pellet formed by an annealing was at about 94 percent . The density increased with higher constraints on the mold and a smaller particle size of the uranium powder. A coarse uranium powder of about 80 mu m in average diameter represented the remaining un-reacted uranium phase. On the other hand, a fine uranium powder of about 50 mu m in average diameter could achieve a pure UAl_2 phase without a uranium phase. The analysis by an X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed that the annealed specimens had interacted to form a UAl_2 phase. Conclusively, the sintered UAl_2 pellet is expected to be useful in developing advanced fuels.